Tropical depression to bring rain to Florida Straits

MIAMI – Forecasters say another tropical depression has formed in the Florida Straits and is expected to produce some rain over the southern half of the Florida peninsula and the Florida Keys.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Sunday that the depression is located 60 miles (100 kph) south of Key West and is moving west at about 9 mph. Maximum sustained winds were clocking at 35 mph (55 kph), with higher gusts.

The depression is expected to produce 1 to 4 inches of rain through Wednesday.

It is expected to head into the Gulf of Mexico overnight.

Forecasters said earlier in the day that a tropical depression has formed in the Atlantic west of Bermuda, bringing the possibility of heavy rain to the coast of North Carolina early this week.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami issued a tropical storm warning for parts of the coast Sunday night.

The depression is located about 285 mph (460 kph) southeast of Cape Hatteras and is moving west at 10 mph. Maximum sustained winds were clocking at 35 mph (55 kph), with higher gusts.

The storm’s centre is expected to pass offshore of the Outer Banks of North Carolina on Tuesday.

Separately, Hurricane Gaston is gathering strength as it moves northwestward in the Atlantic, but forecasters say it poses no threat to land. The centre says Gaston reformed as a hurricane Saturday night.

On Sunday, Gaston was clocking maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (195 kph) winds. The storm was located about 575 miles (930 kilometres) east of Bermuda. Gaston was stationary.

Hurricane-force winds extended outward up to 35 miles (55 kilometres) from the centre, and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles (220 kilometres).

Forecasters say Gaston is expected to slowly weaken over the next two days.